1. Field of the Invention
Broadly, the field of the invention is that of the testing of components, such as microelectronic components for mechanical integrity, by subjecting them to high "G" forces in a centrifuge. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a device or instrumentality adapted for facilitating the dispensing or loading of the components into the centrifuge and unloading them from the centrifuge.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Semi-conductor microelectronic integrated circuits are produced in high volume. They are used extensively in various electronic products and systems for commercial and military applications. Microelectronic circuits are involved virtually everywhere in the line of manufacturing through final application of multifarious products, whether commercial radios, computers, microprocessors, or highperformance commercial or military aircraft or space vehicles and systems.
Integrated circuits must be reliable and frequently extremely high reliability is demanded. This requires not only the normal performance testing but also environmental testing where test requirements may be stringent and extreme. During manufacturing and testing, these items are extensively handled as individual items or in bulk or stick form. The state of the art of physically handling and manipulating these items, that is, these electronic components through the various stages of manufacturing and testing, has lagged, resulting in deficiencies and drawbacks in the handling of these items.
In the matter of centrifuge testing to determine mechanical integrity, the parts or components are subjected to high stresses of 20,000 to 30,000 G's of acceleration levels. It has been common practice in the art to load many individual integrated circuit units or components in a ring-type fixture, referred to as an insert force ring or rotor assembly, which is then set in the centrifuge and subjected to testing. After testing, the insert is removed and the parts unloaded and processed for further additional testing. For centrifuge testing, it has been the practice to manually load parts into the insert, and conversely, after testing, the parts are manually unloaded from the insert.
It is laborious and time consuming to manually load and unload individual parts, that is, components, during the transfer of parts to the inserts and back again. This problem in the art has not been satisfactorily met, and it is a primary purpose of the herein invention, a preferred embodiment of which is described in detail herein to meet this need in the art that has not previously been met.